It's a difficult line to draw, but the line does need to be drawn somewhere. You're freedom to express yourself stops when you inflict harm on others. You're not allowed to just go punch someone in the stomach. The remarks "Duffy" made to the dead girl's family are the emotional equivalent of a gut punch, if not more.
It's going to be a challenge to prosecute malevolent stalkers, harrassers, and bullies, to say the least. But it is something that needs to be done.
Furthermore, as far as cyber-bullying a child goes - the rights and responsibilities of a free society extend only to ADULT citizens. An adult should be expected to be aware of what they're getting into online and able to take some trolling (as long as it doesn't cross the line to harrassing). I think there should be restrictions a bit tigher when you're dealing with a minor, since they aren't considered responsible and independent, and are, as the OP pointed out, "volatile". A 15 year old girl cannot be reasonably expected to handle severe trolling with emotional maturity. (Perhaps she was experience harrassment that shouldn't be allowed on an adult level - I don't know. But my point still stands that rules should be stricter when you're targeting a child.)
no subject
It's going to be a challenge to prosecute malevolent stalkers, harrassers, and bullies, to say the least. But it is something that needs to be done.
Furthermore, as far as cyber-bullying a child goes - the rights and responsibilities of a free society extend only to ADULT citizens. An adult should be expected to be aware of what they're getting into online and able to take some trolling (as long as it doesn't cross the line to harrassing). I think there should be restrictions a bit tigher when you're dealing with a minor, since they aren't considered responsible and independent, and are, as the OP pointed out, "volatile". A 15 year old girl cannot be reasonably expected to handle severe trolling with emotional maturity. (Perhaps she was experience harrassment that shouldn't be allowed on an adult level - I don't know. But my point still stands that rules should be stricter when you're targeting a child.)